Thread by @DietDrsayajirao

💩 Poop is one of the most powerful biomarkers in medicine but also the most ignored.

Each bowel movement reveals data on gut health, nutrient absorption, liver & pancreas function, inflammation, and immunity.
Here’s a scientific breakdown worth saving 🧵👇
#GutHealth

1️⃣ What exactly is poop made of?
On average:
🔸~75% water
🔸~25% solids

Of the solids:
🔸30% dead & living bacteria
🔸30% indigestible fiber
🔸10–20% fat
🔸10–20% inorganic matter
🔸Small amounts of protein, dead cells, bile pigments

This is microbial data, not just waste.

2️⃣ Color: A reflection of bile + liver function
🟤 Brown = Normal (from bile + bilirubin)
🟢 Green = Rapid transit, magnesium, leafy greens
⚫ Black = Upper GI bleeding, iron supplements
🔴 Red = Lower GI bleeding, hemorrhoids, fissures
🟡 Pale/Clay = Bile obstruction check liver
⚪ White = No bile. serious warning sign

3️⃣ Consistency: Bristol Stool Chart
This globally used tool categorizes stool into 7 types:
Type 1-2: Hard, dry, slow transit → constipation

Type 3-4: Soft, smooth, sausage-shaped → ideal

Type 5-7: Loose, fast transit → malabsorption, IBS, infection

Best gut health = Type 3 or 4, once or twice daily.

4️⃣ Floating stool = Fat malabsorption
Fat should be absorbed in the small intestine.
If stool floats, sticks to the bowl, or looks greasy:

🧪 Check for:
•Low bile output
•Pancreatic insufficiency
•Celiac disease
•SIBO
•Liver/gallbladder dysfunction

5️⃣ Mucus, undigested food, or smell?
Mucus = Inflammation in colon (IBD, colitis, infections)

Undigested food = Fast transit, low enzymes, poor chewing

Strong foul odor = Protein putrefaction, dysbiosis, malabsorption

Gut should ferment fiber, not rot protein.

6️⃣ Transit time = Gut speed + microbiome function
⏱️ Normal: 18–24 hours
📌 Try the Beet Test: Eat beetroot and track red color in stool
<12 hrs = fast transit, possible poor absorption

36 hrs = constipation, stagnation

Long transit = toxin reabsorption
Short = nutrient loss

7️⃣ Chronic constipation: Not just lack of fiber
Often due to:
•Hypothyroidism
•Magnesium deficiency
•Low water intake
•Low bile or sluggish liver
•Sedentary lifestyle
•Gut microbiome imbalance

💡 Over-supplementing insoluble fiber can worsen it.

8️⃣ Diarrhea = Not always infection
Could be:
Bile acid diarrhea
Lactose/FODMAP intolerance
SIBO
IBD flare
Excess magnesium or vitamin C
Gut-brain axis stress response

Test, don’t guess.

9️⃣ Stool and mental health are connected
💡 90% of serotonin is made in the gut
💩 Poor stool quality is often seen with:
•Anxiety
•Depression
•Brain fog
•Insomnia

Psychobiotics (targeted probiotics) may improve mood via gut-brain axis.

🔟 One of the most ignored signs: Pale stool
A pale, clay-colored stool = no bile entering the intestine
May indicate:
•Bile duct blockage
•Liver cirrhosis
•Gallstones
•Tumor (rare)

NEVER ignore this. Needs immediate medical evaluation.

1️⃣1️⃣ What ideal poop looks like
✔️ 1–2 times/day
✔️ Type 3–4
✔️ Medium brown
✔️ No undigested food
✔️ No mucus or blood
✔️ Easy to pass, single wipe
✔️ Sinks slowly

Anything else = time to investigate digestion and absorption.

1️⃣2️⃣ How to improve poop quality?
science-backed tips:
✅ Prioritize gut repair: remove inflammatory foods
✅ Include prebiotics + fermented foods
✅ Optimize magnesium and hydration
✅ Focus on chewing and mindful eating
✅ Ensure bile flow: healthy fats, bitters
✅ Get daily movement

📌 Poop is more than waste.
It’s data.
It’s diagnostics.
It’s daily feedback from the microbiome, liver, and gut.

Ignore it and you miss early warning signs.
💾 Save this thread.
🔁 Share it with someone who needs to look in the toilet, not just the lab.
💬 Questions or symptoms? Let’s talk in replies.